Invalid walker



Feb. 7, 1956 J. G. LESLIE ETAL 2,733,754

INVALID WALKER Filed May 4, 1953 Snnentor JOHN G. L csu:

an LAWRENCE N. ROBINSON MXM attorney INVALID WALKER Application May 4,1953, Serial No. 352,616 6 Claims. (Cl. 155-22) This invention relatesto devices for supporting invalids and more particularly to a combinedseat and walker or a combined seat and crutches.

' In valid walkers of previous design and of the type with which we arefamiliar, folding the walker for storage or transportation is difficult.In some designs of previous walkers, the lateral bracing members wereremoved to allow the various sections of the walker to be stacked forstorage and transportation. In other types of foldable walkers andinvalid supports, the folding mechanism was complicated in constructionand had certain other disadvantages.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to overcome the aboveand other defects in prior invalid walker designs and it is moreparticularly an object of our invention to provide a laterally foldableinvalid walker which is simple in construction, economical inmanufacture and cost, rigid and durable in construction, and

comfortable to the occupant and light in weight.

Another object of our invention is to provide a laterally foldable seatand walker combination which is light in weight and easily portable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means of attachinga seatto a walker.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novel folding means fora walker.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel combination ofcrutches in a laterally foldable walker.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat aired States Patent changes may be made in the form, size,proportions, and

minor details of construction without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the position; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of another embodiment of our invention.

Referring now to the drawing, Figs. 1 and 3 show oppositely disposedside frames 1 and 2 made up of the upper U-shaped side members 3 and 4and the leg members 5, 6, 7, and 8, respectively. The legs 5 and 6 arejoined together intermediate their ends by the lower frame member 9 andthe legs 7 and 8 are joined together intermediate their ends by thelower frame member 10. The legs 5, 6, 7, and 8 are made of tubularmaterial and are provided with casters 11, 12, 13, and 14 at the lowerend thereof and the legs 5 and 6 telescopically receive the ends 15 and16, respectively of the U-shaped top members 3 and 4. Spaced holes 17are provided in the end 15 and spaced holes 18 are provided in the end16.v These holes are adapted to adjustably receive the locking devices19 and to support 2,733,754 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 the side frame 3 in avertical adjustable position. Similar holes 20 and 21 are provided inthe ends 22 and 23 of the U-shaped side member 4 and the ends 22 and 23are integrally connected by the top member 25 which corresponds to thetop member 26 which connects the ends 15 and 16 of the'member 3.

Tubular sleeve members 27 and 28 are attached to the leg members 6 and7, respectively, at 29 and 30, respectively, by welding, brazing, or anyother well known fastening means. The tubular member 27 has the tubularmember 31 welded to the lower end thereof at 32 in normal relationthereto. The tubular member 31 telescopically and pivotally receives themember 33 which is integrally attached to the diagonal cross bracemember 34 at 35 by welding or other known means and the pin member 36 istelescopically received in the sleeve member 27. A hollow member 38 isintegrally attached to the member 36 at 39 and the member 38 pivotallyreceives the internal member 40 which is integrally connected at 41 tothe cross member 42.

The tubular member 28 has a cross member 44 welded thereto similar tothe member 31 and pivotally receives a member integrally attached to thecross member 42 at 45 and the cross member 42 is pivotally attached tothe cross member 34 by the pin 46. The tubular member 47 istelescopically received in the member 28 and the member 48 is welded tothe member 47 at 49. The offset member 50 is welded to the member 34 at51 and held against removal from the hollow member 48 by the washer 52which is attached to the end of the member 50 and pivotally and slidablyengages the end of the member 48.

The top member 25 is vertically adjustable in the leg member 8 by meansof the holes 20 which are adapted to adjustably receive the pins 53. Ahole 54 is formed in the top of the top member 26 of the side member 1to receive the back supporting member 55 and a similar hole 56 is formedin the member 25 to receive the back supporting member 57. Backsupporting member 55 is bent outwardly at 58 and upwardly at 59 toreceive the fabric material 60 which is provided with a hem 61 toreceive the member 55 and provided with a hem 62 to receive the member57.

The tubular member 63 is welded or by other means attached to the framemember 9 at 64 and telescopically receives the pin 65 which is attachedto the brace 66 at 67 and which has the ends 68 and 69 bent at rightangles thereto and provided with holes 70 which receive a pin 71 whichpivotally engages the bracket 72 which engages the seat 73 at 74.

A screw 75 threadably engages the tubular member 63 and friction-allyengages the member 65 to adjust the seat 73 vertically. A tube 76 iswelded to the lower frame member 10 at 77 and it slidably receives thepin 78 and the pin 78 is adjustably held against vertical movement by ascrew 79. A lateral member 80 is welded to the pin 78 at 81 and isadapted to receive the brackets 82 which have the hooks 83 attachedthereto and which have the normally bent members 84 which support theseat 73. Clamps or brackets 86 and 87 are provided. The clamps 86 and 87have a top portion which is hinged to the bottom member 88 at 89 andwhich has the fastenthe screw 97. The brackets 87 are similar to thebrackets 86 and they have the upper portion 98 and the lower portion 99pivotally attached together at 100- and is threadably engaged in themember 99 to hold the clamps or brackets 87 against slidable movement onthe arm or top member 25.

The vertical support member 103 is welded to the brackets 87 atv 1,94and the upper end of the vertical Support. 103'telescopically receivesthe pin 105 which is welded to the body receiving frame 106 under thebody engaging padding 107.. It will be noted that the frame 106 isprovided with. the body engaging padding 107, 1118, 109, and 110disposed around the periphery of the frame in order to provide acomfortable supporting surface for an invalid. The casters 11, 12, 13,and 14 have. wheels. 11 1, 112, 113, and 114, respectively, which are,pivotally received in the lower end of the tubular legs. 5, 6, 7, and.8;, respectively, at 115, 116, 117, and 118, respectively.

In the embodiment of the invention Shown in Fig. 2,

we show the arms 225' and 226 supporting the fabric back 260 and havingthe back rest' support members 258 and 259 supported in holes 254 and256 in the arm members. The vertical supports 244 and 2113telescopically receive the members 205 and 296 and are held in avertically adjustable position by screws 297 and 298.

The, padded members 220 and 221 are attached to the upper ends. of themembers 296 and 20S and are adapted. to engage the armpits of an invalidusing the walker. The crutches supported by the members 203 and 244 areadapted. to be used on the chair shown in Fig. l and substituted for thebody supporting frame 166. Clamps 286 and 285 which are similar to theclamps 86 and 87 in Fig. l are adapted to hold the crutches on thewalker shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4, we show another embodiment of our invention wherein the backrest supporting member 158 corresponds tothe support .58 in Fig. 1. Thesupport 153 has the struck out portions 155 thereon which may be formedby deforming a part of the metal of the back rest support to prevent thesupport 158 from sliding through the hole 154. The side member 3corresponds to the side member 3 in Fig. 1.

in the foregoing specification, we have set forth the invention in itspreferred practical forms but we are aware that the structure shown iscapable of modification within a range of equivalents without departingfrom the'invention which is'to be understood is broadly novel as iscommensurate with the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An invalid walker comprising spaced hollow leg members, spacedU-shaped side members having legs telescopically received in said hollowleg members, sleeve members attached to two of said legs, cross bracemembers. pivotally connected together intermediate their ends, one endof each. said cross brace being pivotally connected at one end thereofto a sleeve member and pivotally connected at the other end thereof to amember telescopically movable in another said sleeve member, lower framemembers attached to said legs, a vertically adjustable seat supported onsaid lower frame members,

a body supporting member adjustably supported on said a U-shapedmembers, said body supporting member comprising a hollow verticalsupport member attached to each U-shaped member, a pin telescopicallyreceived in each vertical support, and a body receiving frame supportedon said vertical supports.

2. An invalid walker comprising two pairs of spaced,

wardly extending member and a hollow member extending forwardly, a pinmember having a horizontally extending hollow member attached to theupper end thereof telescopically engaging said sleeve members, a crossmember pivotally attached to each said sleeve member and pivotallyengaging said horizontally extending hollow member, said members beingpivotally connected together, and a seat swingably attached to one saidlower frame member and. removably attached to said other lower framemember.

3. An invalid walker comprising spaced hollow leg members, spacedU-shaped side members having legs telescopically received in said hollowleg members, sleeve members attached to two of said legs, cross bracemembers pivotally connected together intermediate their ends, one end.of each said cross brace being pivotally connected at one end thereof toa sleeve member and pivotally connected at the other end thereof to amember telescopically movable in another said sleeve member, lower framemembers attached to said legs, a vertically adjustable. seat supportedon said lower frame members, a. body supporting member adjustablysupported on said U-shaped members, said body supporting membercomprising a hollow vertical support member attached to each U-Shapedmember, a pin telescopically received in each vertical support, andcrutch members supported on said vertical supports.

4. The invalid walker recited in claim 1 wherein said invalid walker isprovided with a back rest comprising a flexible: body member having theopposite ends thereof removahly supported on said U-shaped members.

5. The invalid walker recited in claim 2 wherein said invalid walker isprovided with a back rest comprising a body member having the oppositeends thereof removably supported on said U-shaped members, said bodymember comprising a sheet of flexible material.

6. An invalid walker comprising two spaced pairs of spaced tubularmembers disposed in parallel relation to each other, two lower framemembers, one said lower frame member connecting the tubes of one saidpair together and the other said lower frame member connecting the othersaid pair together, a U-shaped member having the legs thereoftelescopically received in the open upper ends of each said pair oftubular members, floor engaging means received in the lower ends of saidtubular members, means to lock said U-shaped member legs tosaid tubularmembers. for vertical adjustment thereon, a sleeve member disposed inside by side relation to and attached. to one said tubular leg of eachsaid pair, a pin member telescopically received in each said sleeve, twocross brace members pivotally connected together midway between theirends, one end of one said brace being pivotally connected to the lowerend of one said sleeve, the other end of said brace being pivotallyconnected to one said pin in the other said sleeve, one end of the othersaid brace being pivotally connected to the lower end of the other saidsleeve, the other end of said other brace being pivotally connected tosaid other pin, and a seat swingably attached to the lower frame memberof one: said pair of tubular members and detachably secured to saidother lower frame member of one said pair of tubular members.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1').112,691 Comper Dec. 27, 1938 2,278,901 Smock Apr. 7, 1942 2,282,689 AmesMay 12, 1942 2,374,182 Duke Apr. 24, 1945 2,486,015 Everest et al, Oct.25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 4717,74 Canada Oct. 16, 1951 960,203 FranceOct. 17, 1949

